Democrats see no hope for more school funding. Montana State Senator Rick Laible, R-Darby pushes Republicans on education

Montana’s school leaders are pleading for a special session of the Legislature to give schools more money and head off millions of dollars in budget cuts, but two Bozeman Democrats say they’re ignoring political reality.

It’s true that schools are getting only a small increase in state funding for next year, but school boards knew that when the 2007 Legislature finished the state budget for the next two years, said state Sen. Bob Hawks.

“They have to take some responsibility,” Hawks said. The idea of “putting more money in (to schools) is very difficult, given the people who are going to be making decisions.”

By GAIL SCHONTZLER Chronicle Staff Writer

Full Story: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2008/02/21/news/20skul21.txt

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Montana State Senator Rick Laible, R-Darby pushes Republicans on education http://matr.net/article-27592.html

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Republicans shift blame for school funding woes

By GAIL SCHONTZLER Chronicle Staff Writer

Republican leaders of the Montana House say if anyone is to blame for public schools’ financial troubles, it’s the Democratic governor and lawmakers, because they hammered out the two-year state budget that has schools struggling.

“The governor got 100 percent of what he wanted” in the budget passed by the May special session of the 2007 Legislature, said House Speaker Scott Sales, a Republican from Bozeman. “For these guys to say it’s somehow the Republicans’ fault is a total fabrication.”

Full Story: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2008/02/23/news/10gop.txt